


Second Chance

by Annamaetion



Category: Forever (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 17:10:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17832698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annamaetion/pseuds/Annamaetion
Summary: What if Dr. Henry Morgan opened himself up to friendships just three years before the canon story joined him? This is a series of day-in-the-life snippets featuring a budding relationship, found in the most unlikely of places; a morgue.





	1. Chapter 1

I really was not looking forward to starting over again. Though I would again be with Abraham, and have his support; I wished I had not lost so much time with him due to my wanderings.

The job as a medical examiner for the New York 11th prescient (more specifically New York City's OCME) was going to be something of a balm, studying death in others- maybe...maybe I could finally figure out how to die myself.

The first day of my new life, finally under my actual name again-as it had been sufficient time since I last had used it. A medical degree via re-training (for the fifth time) in Guam.

I wondered how much longer I could possibly hide with the advances in record keeping and technology.

The morgue was painted white, gleaming stainless steel and under-lit examination tables making it appear all the brighter. Sterilized air, chilled slightly to avoid too much decomposition while performing autopsies, feeling so familiar to me after all my work in hospitals.

I asked a young woman where I could find Mr. Wahl, the assistant I had been assigned, and she directed me to an autopsy table right near what was to be my office.

The brown haired man identified as Mr. Wahl stood tall -at around six foot three, taller than my 5' 11", shoulders slouched and curved as he lent over a mans' corpse to evaluate the bruising on his face.

A long sleeved burgundy shirt underneath his standard blue scrubs, plain black 'dress pants', and running shoes-spoke of a very simplistic dress sense. Professional enough for modern standards-if a bit more on the casual side by my reckoning.

He had larger than average feet and hands to go with his height. He had finger lengths that would make a pianist green with envy, and- from the looks of his initial incisions on the body- he had finesse on the level of a surgeon.

"Mr. Wahl?"  
He turned toward me, revealing a prominent nose and a inquisitive look glinted in his brown eyes.

"Yes, can I help you?" He had a very distinctive voice that might uncharitably be described as nasally but was really more that he spoke prominently though his nose. A harsh American accent, but not a New York one-more midwestern?

"I am Dr. Henry Morgan, the new assistant chief medical examiner."  
"Oh hi!" Mr. Wahl perked up considerably and straightened to his full height, he quickly shed his gloves and approached me covering the roughly two yards between us in only two long strides.

He stuck out his hand and I took it to shake, I could tell he was left-handed- but he seemed to have no trouble switching to his right hand.  
"You can call me Lucas, nice to meet you" he said smiling unabashedly, obviously an outgoing energetic sort.

"It is nice to meet you too Lucas, may I just say that if your incision lines are indicative of your level of skill that we should get on fine."

Lucas grinned, "well thanks, measure twice cut once and all that... if you don't mind me asking-your accent, you British?"

"Yes originally but I haven't been there in awhile, been traveling-most recently finished my certification in Guam."

"Huh- cool, I mostly just been around New York, only just recently got serious about being a medical examiner. For the longest time I wanted to be a film major-" Lucas frowned suddenly, the light and passion vanished from his previously vivid expression "not that it's important, sorry I can get to rambling."

The expression he now wore spoke of a man who was long used to having his conversational attempts rebuffed, and his enthusiasm curtailed by people who (probably) told him he was 'rambling' (or annoying).

"Oh, I don't mind some idle chatter as long as work still getting done. Mind reading me in to the case you working on right now?"

"Sure thing Doc, I was just trying to determine if this bruising on this guys face was the result of multiple blows, or just a really big one." He walked back to the table, "see how the bruise seems to layer here?" 

"I concur, this man was either stuck with an object with multiple facets that caused the bruises to overlap in their spread... or struck twice in very quick succession..."

"Well," Lucas raised the corpses' right hand, "the amount of defensive wounds tells me that this guy was a fighter-so whoever he was up against probably swung something at him. The injury does seem to indicate a horizontal strike."

Lucas swung his arms to demonstrate.

I noticed that the man had a punctured lung and indicated it with my right hand.

"But not the cause of death."

"Well, based on the pooling of the blood he was knocked out first, landed on his back, and then stabbed."

"Excellent determination Lucas, likely whoever did this couldn't take him in a fair fight. Probably they did not even produce the knife until after the man was unconscious."

"Yeah, considering the stab wound seems the only injury that was inflicted by a knife." Lucas said indicating the corpses' hands and arms, "If the assailant had brandished it as part of the fight the victim probably would have more cuts as defensive wounds and not just bruises."

"Yes, a solid set of observations Lucas."

"Thanks, I just hope the samples I pulled from under his nails contains some of the killers' DNA- already sent that to the lab."

"Excellent," I said skimming through Lucas' documentation, very pleased with his thorough notation and exceptionally clean penmanship —Something I appreciated in official forms, less chance of ambiguity or mistaken letters. "I suppose all that's left is to secure..." I glanced again at the form, "Mr. Samuel Drake, into a cooler and move on to the next corpse on our list?"

"Well, yeah- here is an anti-fraud pen, they're standard around the morgue. You can get them from supplies, going to need your signature on the observations thus far."

"Of course," I nodded, signing the paper while secretly wondering about what specific technology made the pen he handed me capable of warding off fraud. Perhaps the ink was of a particular florescence that was hard to replicate...

I shall have to do tests to see later.

"Whom do we have next?"  
Lucas picked up a clipboard that sat on a nearby stainless steel table and leafed through it.

"A Mr. Thomas Holt Senior, 68 DOA yesterday at 5:00am. Insurance needs confirmation of what the hospital said his cause of death was: 'heart attack'".

"Very well, Lucas- please secure Mr. Drake while I fetch Mr. Holt."

"Roger that." Lucas gave a little mock salute and started to transfer Mr.Drake to his assigned cooler.

 

—————————————————

 

Lucas' long fingers proved an odd distraction, I found myself watching them when he wrote notes, preformed incisions, or when they tapped idly when he was thinking.

Lucas has caught me staring a few times, but not once has he asked me why. Or, at least he did not ask in words... he would look at me inquisitively, his glances always seemly purposeful-whereas my distracted watching? I could only attribute to my eyes being instinctively drawn to motion.

A few weeks into working constantly by the mans' side led to further observations of his habits. Lucas slouched almost constantly, but would straighten up after being commended on doing good work- or on being allowed to talk about things that interested him.

He shifted and rested his weight on different sides of his hip throughout the day, most likely aware it was bad to keep his weight shifted to just one side constantly.

He spent most of his lunch break reading his comic books (graphic novels doc!) I mostly insist on still calling them comics to rile Lucas, and he has found various phrases of mine worthy of the same sort of well intentioned needling.

I also noticed Lucas making himself as unobtrusive (difficult for a man of his considerable frame) as possible whenever Dr. Washington was within earshot.

It wasn't long until I had the displeasure of talking with him, and learned why Lucas disliked him so.

Dr. Washington did not look for answers in evidence- rather he jumped to a conclusion and made the evidence he did "find" bend to that answer, ignoring anything (or indeed, anyone) that might point to other possibilities.

The man was not only infuriating in that aspect, but I swiftly learned he regarded anyone who did not have a doctorate as an annoyance. He disregarded assistant medical examiners, detectives, EMT's, and anyone else who might have the displeasure of having to converse with him.

He had remarked of Lucas "Assistants should be seen and not heard." When Lucas had brought up some evidence that disputed Dr. Washingtons' conclusions. He would not even hear of the very legitimate concerns brought up by him or myself.

"If you want to follow down your little rabbit hole of paperwork and madness- then fine, but I will not be considered party to any further examination."

I loathed that man- even more so when I learned Lucas had previously been made to work directly under him.

"Dr. Washington was a nightmare to try to learn under," Lucas had remarked shaking his head after the man had departed the morgue, "He thought all prep work was 'beneath him' and made me do all of it. So critical too, always saying I'd got it wrong in some small way...or criticizing the forms I filled out for including useless details- like excuse me for being thorough!"

Lucas' voice turned from sour to pleasant as he regarded me, "Needless to say, I like working with you much better." He'd then chuckled to himself and said, "Not much of a complement considering..."

I let slip a small smile, truly Lucas' brand of sarcasm and deadpan style often worked its' way past my defenses. My attempts to remain strictly professional often stymied by Lucas' open nature and enthusiasm.

Then a case concerning a school that had a DNA database for its high profile students came up...

"It's kinda bizarre that they need that. Not that it isn't dead handy in this case mind you. I just don't think anyone in my old high school would even noticed if I'd been abducted." Lucas has sounded so despondent and self-depreciating that I just had to reassure him.

"Well just look how far you gotten."  
Lucas just looked confused, so I clarified.  
"You're now someone whose abduction would be noticed."

Lucas grinned, "Yeah, you're right. Thanks Doctor Morgan."

 

———————————————————

 

I accidentally caught Lucas changing in the locker rooms. He did not see me, and I'm still not quite sure why I watched him remove his scrubs. The hems caught his undershirt and snagged it upward revealing a slim strip of skin about his waist.

Pale skin and a bit of a paunch despite his otherwise slender frame. My eyes tracking down the fine line of pubic hair that trailed faintly from his navel down to where his pants hugged his hips...

I was... am — attracted... to Lucas. Not just to his physical appearance, but to his quick mind and bright spirit. I was at a bit of a loss at this revelation, never before had I felt as I did for a man... considering I'd only ever felt attracted to women before now.

I suppose if you live long enough, you can even surprise yourself. 

With no real idea how to address this revelation. (Lucas being my assistant, it would be inappropriate to approach him regardless of gender) I resolved to try my best to ignore my 'little crush'.

 

\----------------------------------

 

"You know Henry," Abe greeted as he set the table for breakfast, "You should really try to put yourself out there again, make friends that aren't me."

"When it comes to friendship it's quality, not quantity that matters Abraham."

"Bah, you've been back in New York for three months now- and you haven't gone out one night. Always tucked away in that basement lab of yours." Abe shook his head. "Tell me Henry, have you even made a single solitary friend so far? I'm really not asking for much here."

I considered, "Yes, I've made...at least one friend in my time here."

"Great!" Abe declared, "invite them to dinner- I insist!"

"But, Abe-"

"No buts!" Abe said, "You invite this friend of yours to dinner- with my cooking skills maybe I convince them to stay your friend." 

"Abraham."

"Henry... I'm serious."

"I'll — ask him."

"What's his name anyhow?"

"His name is Lucas."

 

———————————————————

 

At work the next day, I pondered how I would go about inviting Lucas to dinner. How would I bring it up?

'Morning Lucas, I hear we've got a full day ahead of us- say, you've any plans for dinner tonight?' No.

'Morning Lucas, my roommate is all but convinced that I've made no friends since moving to America- he challenged me to invite a friend to dinner...' Maybe?

'Morning Lucas, I have a question. I've been in America for only a few months now and my roommate has brought to my attention that I've not invited friends over. Would you be interested in coming over to my place for dinner?' Better...

"Hey there Dr. Morgan, good morning." Lucas said grinning unabashedly.

"Good Morning Lucas, you seem to be in good spirits this morning."

"Yeah, I've had quite the morning."  
"Oh, do tell?"  
"It's just I've got a lot of birthday well wishes from my family back in Massachusetts."

It was Lucas' birthday? I had no idea.

"I did not know it was your birthday Lucas! Happy birthday."  
"Thanks, Doc. I know 27 isn't like a milestone or anything but I'm pretty stoked."  
"I suppose that means you've got dinner plans tonight?"  
Lucas shook his head, smile dropping from his face like a stone.

"No, no plans- no one to make plans with really."   
I marveled for a moment that this outgoing man did not think he had anyone in New York to celebrate his birthday with.

"What would you say to dinner at my place? My roommate has been after me to invite friends over."

Lucas quirked his head, "Friends?" he said, his voice tinged with wonder, "you consider us friends?"

"Yes, of course. In fact, when we're off the clock- please call me Henry."


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Telling Lucas the truth about his immortality was surprisingly easy. It’s figuring out everything that comes after that sometimes worries Henry.

Lucas took the news of my immortality much the way one would expect. Many excited questions and a near endless stream of chatter as he poured over my journals and news clippings. 

After I had calmed him down somewhat he settled into a more even keeled questioning pace.

"So even after 200 some odd years you still don't know why you're immortal?"

"I'm afraid so."  
"Huh."  
"I understand this is a lot to process."

"Well, I'm mostly just now realizing all the hints that you kept dropping at work now." Lucas said shaking his head, "I mean- 'live long enough you'll see every thing' and all those historic quotes and general language knowledge..."

"Yes well, people rarely jump to such far fetched conclusions when I make oblique references to my age." I said sadly, "I allude to it mostly to be able to vent as a sort of a safety valve."

"I can get that. With such a big secret you sometimes just can't help to hint at it." Lucas shrugged, "Not that I have ever had a secret as big as yours before..."

"You are the first I've told in quite some time, I am afraid that since... well Abigail."  
I choked a little on her name. Too many memories; happiness and sorrow... so much sorrow. The wound still stung.

Lucas ensconced me in his arms, as he shushed at me, "Easy Henry- focus on all the happy moments and memories." Lucas quieted further, "life is not time spent dwelling on sorrow, or worry of the 'morrow. Time is to be spent with love, and laughter."

"That's a beautiful sentiment. What poet said that?"  
"His name is Lucas Wahl, you might have heard of him..."  
"Lucas, you?" I said somewhat stunned, "That was spectacular, I had no idea you wrote poetry."

Lucas shrugged, "Well I only dabble really, there was this time in school after I learned about Shakespearean sonnets that I could not stop writing them until I ended up with about 100 of them. They're frightfully modern though."

"You'll have to let me read them some time, I think I could do with allowing myself some modernity."

"Yeesh, 'modernity' -you say it in the same sort of tone someone else might use to say 'tapeworm'." Lucas spat out the last word in mock disgust, smiling all the while.

"Yes well, I'm sure you will prove a most excellent guide in everything modern." I said shaking my head, "People find it odd when I do not get their myriad of references and I could use a bit of a 'crash course'."

"Sure thing man," Lucas said amicably, "There is so much I can think to show you...where to even start?"

"How about a venture into modern cinema?"  
"You mean movies." Lucas shook his head, "Well you are British- you spell color C-o-l-o-u-r don't you? And gray g-r-e-y ...now that I think about it sticking with calling it cinema isn't too suspicious or anything. Just sounds uptight to us Americans."

"I am afraid that my methods of phrasing are quite set," I said teasingly, "back to the matter at hand though. Any 'movie' recommendations? Something comical if that is alright with you?"

"I've got just the movie!"

 

— — — //———————-\\\— — —

 

How I envied Lucas ability to always fall asleep when sat in the back of a car. He's said it's the rocking motion of driving- that he's always been lulled to sleep during long car rides in his past.

This same effect doesn't cause him to fall asleep when he's sat in the front of the car (thank goodness), and such is he allowed a drivers license.

Detectives' Martinez (Call me Jo) and Hanson (The name's Mike, nice to meet ya doc) both being at the helm of this particular car ride, thus were treated with a demonstration of Lucas' particular habit.

"Man, this gridlock is probably being caused by the press trying to get to the same crime scene we are." Hanson had griped, "sorry about this doc, but the lieutenant insisted you see the crime scene in person."

"Not at all Detective. I understand that New York traffic bends to no one man's will."

Hanson glanced over his shoulder at me, "Your assistant okay over there?"

He referred, of course, to the fact that Lucas was sleeping soundly -leaned slightly into the frame of the car- and was undisturbed by us talking. 

"I'm given to understand that falling asleep in a car is common enough, I believe it is to do with the rocking motion while driving."

Detective Martinez shrugged, "Yeah on road trips or stuff like that- we've only been in the car for-" Martinez paused to consult the cars' dash, "twenty seven minutes."

Hanson grumbled, "and most of that has been gridlock." Hanson then chuckled, "Maybe your assistant was out late last night partying?"

I knew for a fact where Lucas had been, and that he'd slept well whilst there. For a split second I had wanted to correct Hanson- but then he might inquire into just how I knew...

The decision of the Medical Examiner's office was that as long as our marriage didn't interfere with our work (in general) or our interaction whilst there (they still insisted on monitoring us even after the one year probationary period) then our relationship was fine.

I really did not want to add the scrutiny of anyone else outside the morgue. Not for my own sake, but for that of Lucas'.

He would cringe at the questions that always followed the initial discovery. Questions such as:

"You (always indicating me) married -him-?"(the disbelief implied to mean they thought that I was putting them on as some little joke... that Lucas was somehow unworthy of my attentions. Or that I was "out of Lucas' league" what ever the devil that was supposed to even mean).

I decided to chance it anyhow, I was in no way ashamed of my husband- nor would I ever be.

"He was not out 'partying', but in fact has a knack-as you Americans might say- for nodding off when placed in a car's back seat for any unknown length of time."

"Okay?" Hanson sounded skeptical, "Whatever you say Doc."

"How could you possibly know that?" Martinez wondered, "please, relate to us your deductive reasoning."

Lucas chose this moment to finally stir, he regarded me with his sleepy countenance and offered me one of his soft warm smiles. He covered his face and yawned, "What'd I miss?".

"Henry here, was just about to tell us how he knew you weren't sleeping off some sort of weekend bender." Hanson 'explained'.

Lucas quirked an eyebrow, "well, aside from the fact I'm not much of a party animal? I've told him before that I always fall asleep in the back of cars. An old quirk from long road trips."

Hanson furrowed his brow, "That's what you guys talk about over dead bodies?"

Lucas grinned wickedly, "It's mostly stomach contents, viscosity, liver temperature-"

"OK!" Hanson yelped, "Got it, sorry I asked." Martinez giggled at her partners' dismay.

I favored Lucas with a small smile as he offered up his fist for me to bump my own fist with.

"Traffic is finally moving again, hopefully we'll get to where we're going sometime today." Martinez joked flatly.

"Yeah," said Lucas, "Would like to get back to the morgue at some point-" Lucas yawned again, then said, "Man- this car is comfy."

I wondered if Lucas would manage to fall asleep again, I had much enjoyed watching him rest peacefully in the corner earlier.

"Yeah, you snoring over there told us that." Martinez joked.  
"Lucas does not snore." I defended blanching in my defense of him."

Hanson regarded me suspiciously, "Well, he wasn't just now- but you're telling me you can tell Lucas 'does not' snore; what- just by looking at the structure of his face or something?"

Lucas shot a look at me, "Can you tell stuff like that by facial structure?" Lucas felt at his slightly protruding nose, "Cause my father snores and he's got a very similar nose to mine."

I shrugged, "It is a possibility that the internal structures contribute more to it- but really, if you were ever going to snore- it'd be when you slept upright."

"Still doesn't mean he never snores." Hanson pointed out.

Lucas quirked his brow, he mouthed the question as to whether he had indeed ever snored.

I shook my head indicating a negative.  
"Lucas has never snored." I said aloud to Lucas' growing surprise and slight shock.

Martinez snorted, "What makes you so sure Henry?"

I grinned vindictively, Lucas' eyes growing wide- but he made no move to stop me. "First hand knowledge."

"What," Hanson said dumbfounded, "you do a sleep study on your assistant or something?"

"I often study my husband whilst he sleeps, I find his countenance very soothing."

"Your husband?" Hanson huffed out a breath- "what does your husband have to do with what we were just-".

Martinez squealed a little, interrupting Hanson. Hanson regarded her, "What's the matter Jo?"

"Lucas IS your —husband?"

"Yes."

Martinez regarded Lucas, "I- is he pulling our legs?"  
Lucas raised his left hand and gestured to his wedding band. I lifted my left hand alongside his- showing that we had matching bands.

There was a beat of silence. I waited for the inevitable questions...

"How long?"

"Have we been married?" I sought to clarify, Martinez nodded so I continued- "Well we first met three years ago when I first started as Medical Examiner at New York's OMCE... started dating four months into that first year. We've been married for over two years now."

Another beat of silence.

"They still let you guys work together?"

Lucas answered this time. "Yes."

"Huh..." Hanson shrugged, "well. Congrats."

I could not quite believe what I had just heard... "Thank-you?"

Lucas looked equally dumbfounded.  
"Uh. Yeah thanks."

Martinez smiled, "Hey, you guys might get a lot of pushback from other people." She paused and shook her head, "but not from us. You guys might not be cops- but you still work with our prescient. That makes you family."

I blinked in disbelief. Lucas was equally agog.   
"Thank you." I said with more sincerity than I had before, but it was still a fragile thing.  
"Yeah." Breathed Lucas, "Thank you Jo- thank you Mike.".

"No problem'." Hanson...Mike -said in his typical easygoing New York manner.

I breathed a sigh of relief, definitely could see myself working alongside these detectives well into the future.

-end-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, look I dunno. I just really wanted them to be friends and then I decided if Henry had decided three years ago to make new friends we would have seen a very different Henry when the canon story started us off. 
> 
> I can dream anyhow.

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve had these snippets in my notes for literal years so I figure it’s high time someone sees them? Sure interest in the fandom has probably moved on, but I gotta start somewhere on this site. (I’m also on Tumblr as Annamaetion so feel free to chat with me there.)


End file.
